


Treasured Things

by ReadTheWords



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gift Fic, HolidayStoking, M/M, Mermaid Loki, Mermaids, Possessive Loki, sailors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-17
Updated: 2016-01-17
Packaged: 2018-05-14 13:05:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5744923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReadTheWords/pseuds/ReadTheWords
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Holiday Stoking Fic for Eternal-Love-Song</p>
<p>Steve is rescued from his sinking ship by a beautiful creature.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Treasured Things

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Eternal_Love_Song](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eternal_Love_Song/gifts).



The storm had somehow hidden the pirates approach, and Captain Steve Rogers barely had time to call his crew to arms before the first cannon ball hit, splintering the side of the ship and killing three men. Steve bellowed orders as terrified men raced to cannons and handed out guns. As they returned fire the S.S. Shield was hit again, the screams of injured men somehow reaching Steve’s ears over the sound of the port quarter exploding around him. He was violently thrown to the floor, smacking his head against the ships wheel as he fell, pain lancing across his skull.

  
Slowly he stumbled to his feet. His ears rang and when he touched his forehead his fingers came away red with blood. He swayed, vision blackening at the edge as he tried to focus on what was happening around him. There was a lot of yelling, though he couldn’t make out any of the words. He remembered the pirates and his duty to his mean. He raised his hand to call for another volley.  
There was another explosion.

  
Steve had no time to react before the top deck exploded and he was thrown high into the air and overboard.

  
As he hit the ocean, the water filling his mouth and nostrils, and he tumbled in the darkness, he wondered if this was the end. He was disorientated – which way was up? His lungs burned from a lack of air and it would be so easy to stop fighting and just let himself be dragged downwards by the current. But Steve was a fighter, and he always had been. He began frantically kicking until he burst through the surface, choking as he desperately sucked in air. Looking around he caught sight of his ship and though he felt sick and tired, his head throbbing, he began to swim towards it, hoping his crew could hold off the pirates until he returned.

  
When the ship exploded, Steve stopped and watched in horror. The ship glowed orange as it sank, gunpowder barrels below deck sending further debris flying as they caught fire. Steve felt his strength, and courage, failing as he thought about the men lost under his command.

  
He was so distraught that he didn’t see the wooden board until it was too late.

  
His world went dark.

 

*******************************

 

Something was dripping. A steady continuous drip. Shifting made Steve aware that he was lying on a hard, cold and wet surface. He winced and opened his eyes to find that he was in some kind of cave. Stiffly he sat up, raising a hand to touch the top wound on his head. The wound was covered in a wad of something slimy, which Steve pulled off and dropped onto the floor. It looked like some kind of seaweed and Steve wondered who had administered it. Probably the same person who brought him here, wherever here was.  
As he looked around he saw that here was a cave of cold, wet stone, filled with barrels, gold and treasures, more than Steve had ever seen in one place. Steve was on the largest of three outcrops, with a deep pool of water between him and the other ledges. There was a breeze coming from somewhere and Steve shivered in his wet clothes. With numb fingers he took off his jacket and crawled to the water’s edge, wringing out the jacket into the dark blue depths. The water lapped gently against the side, indicating to Steve that there was a wave current somewhere. Which meant there was a way out.

  
While he was contemplating how he could swim out, he saw a shadow moving below the surface of the water. Steve pulled back just as a head breached the surface.

  
The head was human like, though the skin was a pale blue. The eyes and hair were both dark, the hair slicked back by the water down to the beings naked shoulders. Steve swallowed nervously. This was no human, and he had an inkling as to what it might be, though Steve had never listened or believed in sailor’s superstitions.

  
“You survived it would seem,” the creature said, its voice melodic. “I wasn’t sure you would make it through the night.”

  
The creature rose up a little more and crossed its arms on the ledge, looking up at Steve with a smirk.

  
“I’m not well versed in human interaction,” the creature said, raising an eyebrow, “but I believe some kind of thanks are in order for saving your life.”

  
Steve swallowed sharply, causing him to cough. “Yes, no, of course,” he nodded. “You saved me?”

  
The creature nodded. “I did. You were practically dead in the water. I brought you here and tended to your wound.”

  
“Thank you,” Steve said. “I owe you.”

  
The creature grinned, showing off small pointed teeth. “Such nice words, but I require something more as thanks.”

  
“M-more?”

  
“Oh yes,” the creature said. “I think a kiss would be adequate thanks for saving your life.” The creatures eyes sparkled as it licked its lips.

  
Steve blinked a few times as his brain tried to keep up. That this creature had saved him, Steve had no doubt. There was no other way to explain how he had got here and how he was alive. He did owe it, but a kiss? Wasn’t that how sailors said sea creatures lured me to their deaths? And yet Steve was alive. If death was the end goal, this creature was making it going about it the hard way. Or perhaps it was toying with Steve.

  
“Is your life not worth one kiss?” the creature asked, cocking its head to the side.

  
The voice broke Steve out of his musing. “No, I mean yes, I mean,” Steve spluttered, then sighed. “I would know your name first, if you have one.”

  
“Oh you would, would you?” The creature uncrossed its arms and rose further out of the water, pushing itself up to reveal a naked, flat torso and the beginning of dark, scales at the hips. Below that, Steve thought he could make out the outline of a tail.

  
There could be no doubt - he was definitely speaking with a merman.

  
The merman stopped when it was inches from Steve’s face. This close Steve could see the merman’s eyes were an emerald green, and Steve found he wouldn’t have minded staring into those eyes forever.

  
“You may call me Loki,” the creature whispered.

  
“Loki,” Steve breathed, blinking slowly as if in a trance. He saw Loki smile and move a little closer.

  
Raised as a proper gentleman, Steve leaned in to kiss Loki on the cheek, but Loki pulled back, looking offended.

  
“A proper kiss,” Loki chastised. “Or do you devalue what I did so little?”

  
Steve frowned, annoyed and disappointed with himself that he had upset his saviour. He shook his head and prepared to put his whole heart and soul into giving thanks to Loki. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to Loki’s.

  
They were soft, a little cold, and there was a hint of salt. The kiss was gentle at first, and Steve got the feeling that despite Loki’s request, he was quite hesitant. Was the merman nervous perhaps? Well, Steve might be a gentleman but he was no stranger to a kiss, and he always repaid his debts in full. So he brought up a hand to Loki’s jaw to keep him close and pressed their lips together with a little more force. Loki’s skin was cool and damp, but smooth, so Steve let his thumb rub Loki’s cheek gently as they kissed. To show how truly grateful he was.

  
And if he felt a warmth surging through his body, well that was just a coincidence.

  
When he finally leaned away, breaking off the kiss with a small sigh, but keeping his hand on Loki’s jaw, he was pleased to see a blush spreading on Loki’s cheeks. Loki breathed deeply and slowly opened his eyes. He gave Steve a contented smile and Steve knew he had done well. Perhaps Loki would help him get home after this?

  
“That was…divine,” Loki breathed.

  
Steve ducked his head and smiled. “I just wanted to show you how grateful I am.”

  
Loki grinned. “Oh, I certainly felt your gratitude.” He stroked his lips with a long slender finger. “Yes, I think I shall keep you after all.”

  
Steve nodded, but seconds later and his brain caught up. “What? What do you mean ‘keep me’?”

  
Loki laughed. “I mean, I shall keep you here among my many treasure things. All around you are the things I have collected from sunken ships. I only pick the finest things, and you are most certainly a fine thing.”

  
“But…you…I’m not a piece of gold,” Steve argued. “I’m a human. I need food and drinkable water and…”

  
“Don’t fret,” Loki scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. “I shall make sure to tend to your every need.” He gave Steve a feral grin.

  
“I could just swim out,” Steve said.

  
“You could try,” Loki shrugged. “You would drown and I would have to bring you back here. Then we would be right back where we started. It would be a foolish waste of time.”

  
Steve saw red and lunged forward to grab Loki with a howl, determined to make him see reason. But the merman was fast, ducking out of reach under the water and appearing on the other side of the pool. He lifted himself onto one of the other outcrops, pulling his long tail out of the water. It was twice as long as his upper half, the scales a dark black colour, with the tips a bright yellow, that seemed like gold. The fins on the back of his tail were also tipped with yellow.

  
For a moment Steve was so awestruck that he forgot his anger. Loki was stunning in the dim cave light, water droplets trickling off his sleek body. Steve felt warm again just looking at him.

  
“You forgot yourself, sailor,” Loki hissed, baring his teeth. “Without me, you would be dead. Without me, you WILL be dead.”

  
Steve stared. He knew Loki was right, and maybe if he played by the merman’s game, one day he could get out. For now, he had to appease Loki, before he left Steve to die in this gold filled cave.

  
“Steve,” Steve said, holding his hands up in a peaceful gesture.

  
“What?” Loki narrowed eyes.

  
“My name is Steve. Captain Steve Rogers,” Steve said.

  
Loki blinked slowly. “Captain?”

  
Steve nodded. “Yes. And I’m sorry. You’re right, I do owe you. I’m a man of honour, and I have not behaved honourably towards you. I’m sorry.”

  
Steve bowed his head and waited a moment. He heard a light splash and when he looked up, Loki was back leaning on Steve’s ledge.

  
“Truly?” Loki asked, looking up at him with wide eyes.

  
Steve leaned down and gently kissed Loki on the lips. “Truly,” he whispered with a soft smile.

  
Loki’s mouth hung open slightly as Steve sat back on his wet trouser with a grimace. He shivered for an added effect.

  
“Do you think…? I mean, I’d hate to ask you for further favours after everything you’ve done…” Steve rubbed the back of his neck.

  
“What is it?” Loki asked eagerly.

  
“Well I’m a little wet, and cold. Some dry clothes, or some way of getting dry and warm would be nice,” Steve said. “And I’d be sure to express my gratitude again,” he said with a cheeky grin and a raised eyebrow.

  
Loki blushed and grinned back at him. “Of course. And you must be hungry and thirsty. I shall go and get the things you need. Stay here and rest. No one else knows about this cave so you will be safe.”

  
Before Steve could respond, Loki dove down, disappearing into the deep blue water. Steve watched the water lap against the walls of the cave and the ledges until he was sure he was completely alone.

  
Loki seemed starved for contact and affection. Steve could use that. He didn’t want to take advantage of Loki; Steve wasn’t that kind of man. But if he could make Loki happy, maybe one day he could convince him to return Steve to the land of men. Steve wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth – his circumstances were probably better than the rest of him men. He owed it to them to use the chance the Lord had given him and keep fighting, in what ever way worked.

  
And it wouldn’t be so bad. Loki was stunning to look at. Steve’s artist nature yearned for some charcoal and paper to sketch the long lines of his chest and tail, and the softness of his face and lips. And if he got a few more kisses, that would be nice too.

  
Steve smiled.

  
Yes, being a treasured thing might actually be nice.

 


End file.
